Liquid atomizing devices

ABSTRACT

A LIQUID ATOMIZING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY INTENDED FOR USE IN THE BURNER OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE, HAS A TUBULAR BODY THROUGH WHICH AIR CAN FLOW TO A SWIRLER FORMED BY VANES AT THE DOWNSTREAM END OF THE BODY. A FLUID PASSAGE IS DEFINED BY A TUBE WITHIN THE BODY AND A DOWNSTREAM END WALL OF THE PASSAGE INCLUDES AN EXTERNAL CONCAVE ANNULAR FLANGE AND A PLURALITY OF HOLES THROUGH WHICH FUEL CAN PASS FROM THE PASSAGE TO IMPINGE ON THE FLANGE AND THEREBY BE DIRECTED INTO THE SWIRLING AIRSTREAM DOWNSTREAM OF THE BLADES.

ar'li s, 1913 H, PLACE Em. 3,719,326

LIQUID ATOMIZING DEVICES Original. Filed July 8, 1969 %M d a mm A TORNEYS United States Patent 3,719,326 LIQUID ATOMIZING DEVICES Harold Place, Accrington, and Alan Gilliugham Cheshire,

Burnley, England, assignors to Joseph Lucas (Industries) Limited, Birmingham, England Original application July 8, 1969, Ser. No. 839,902, now Patent No. 3,608,831. Divided and this application Feb. 5, 1971, Ser. No. 112,870 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 18, 1968, 34,308/ 68 Int. Cl. B0513 7/00 US. Cl. 239406 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid atomizing device, particularly intended for use in the burner of a gas turbine engine, has a tubular body through which air can flow to a swirler formed by vanes at the downstream end of the body. A fluid passage is defined by a tube within the body and a downstream end wall of the passage includes an external concave annular flange and a plurality of holes through which fuel can pass from the passage to impinge on the flange and thereby be directed into the swirling airstream downstream of the blades.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a divisional of pending prior application Ser. No. 839,902 filed July 8, 1969 now Patent No. 3,608,831 issued Sept. 28, 1971.

This invention relates to liquid atomizing devices particularly intended for use in the burners of gas turbine engines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A liquid atomizing device in accordance with the invention comprises a tubular body through which, in use, air is caused to flow, an air swirler within the downstream end of the body and formed of a plurality of blades, a passage within the body for a liquid nozzle means comprising a plurality of holes in an end wall of the passage and arranged to inject the liquid for atomization into the air-stream downstream of said swirler and a concave annular flange on said end wall, upon which flange fluid leaving said holes impinges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The accompanying drawing shows an example, sole figure of the partly in longitudinal cross section, and partly in elevation of a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The liquid atomizing devise shown includes a tubular body 10 of composite construction. The body is supported at one end by a support 11 through which there extends a liquid supply passage 12. At the other end of the body there is an air swirler 13 inside the tubular body to create a conically expanding air flow pattern immediately downstream of the body 10.

The liquid supply passage 12 is connected to one end of a tube 14 extending co-axially with the tubular body at the downstream end thereof but being bent at the opposite end to join the liquid supply passage. The tube 14 is connected to a hollow centerpiece 17 fitted inside the swirler 13. The centerpiece 17 has a closed wall at one end and adjacent this wall is formed with a series of liquid nozzles 19 through which liquid is, in use, ejected. There ice are the same number of nozzles 19 as there are inclined blades on the swirler 13 and the nozzles 19 are associated respectively with the trailing edges of these blades, with each nozzle being arranged adjacent the root of the associated blade.

The center-piece 17 incorporates a flange 18 onto which the liquid is directed by the inclined nozzles 19. The upstream face of the flange 18, which is of greater external diameter than the root diameter of the blades of the swirler 13, is of concave annular form arranged so that liquid upon the concave annular face of the flange 18 is directed therefrom in an expanding sheet in a slightly upstream direction. In use, the air flow through the tubular body 10 breaks up this expanding sheet substantially immediately after it has left the edge of the flange 18.

The above described device is intended to give proper atomization of liquid over a wide range of liquid pressures and air flow rates. This is of particular importance in the burners of gas turbine engines since very low fuel pressures and air flow rates are available during starting, but the same burners are required to operate efficiently at high pressures and high air flow rates during high speed running of the engine.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid atomizing device comprising a tubular body through which, in use, air is caused to flow, said body having a downstream end, and air swirler within the downstream end of the body and formed of a plurality of blades, a passage within the body for a liquid, said passage having an end wall, nozzle means comprising a plurality of holes in the end Wall of the passage and arranged to inject the liquid for atomization into the airstream downstream of said swirler and a concave annular flange on said end wall, upon which flange liquid leaving said holes impinges for deflection into the air-stream downstream of the air swirler.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which the annular flange is formed so that liquid impinging thereon is deflected in an upstream direction.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which the trailing edge of each blade is inclined to the normal to the axis of the body.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which the tubular body includes a transverse portion which acts as a support, said passage extending through said transverse portion.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 in which said passage is defined by a tubular member which is, for at least part of its length coaxial with said body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,719,090 7/1929 Stillman 239-406 2,753,929 7/1956 Walshin 239-406 X 2,595,759 5/1952 Buckland et al. 239403 2,485,244 10/1949 Sanborn 239-405 3,586,241 6/1971 Virgil 239-406 3,608,831 9/1971 Place et a1 239-406 LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner R. W. THIEME, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

